


Going in Blind

by SangriaKisses



Category: Naruto
Genre: Blind Date, F/M, Fluff, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25133899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SangriaKisses/pseuds/SangriaKisses
Summary: Shikamaru knew that being set up on a blind date by Ino was a bad idea.  Still, being a genius didn't mean that he didn't sometimes make bad choices.
Relationships: Nara Shikamaru/Temari
Comments: 8
Kudos: 47





	Going in Blind

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my sweet fawns! Here's a quick story that was born from too much reality tv and boredom. :D Enjoy!

“Come on Shikamaru please!”

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at Ino’s pleading. “Why should I go?”

“Please do this as a favor to me! Besides, you know how this is going to go. I’ll wear you down eventually. Just agree, this will make it easier for both of us.” She was right but he was still going to drag this out. 

“Can you at least tell me something about my date?” He had to physically stop himself from calling her idea of a blind date moronic. 

“Well, she’s a kunoichi from work, blonde, really smart.”

“Hmm, a blonde from work. What color are her eyes?” There were far too many troublesome blondes in his life. 

Ino shook her head. “Can’t tell you that!”

“Fine, do I know her at least?”

“Sure do.”

Ino must think that he was really stupid. “And why did she ask you to set up a date for us?”

“Probably because she knew that you never would. Trust me, it’ll be fun.” Alarm bells were going off in his head. He’d known Ino far too long, she was up to something. 

“Gah...what a drag. Fine, when?”

Ino smiled victoriously. “Tomorrow night, 7, at the barbeque place.”

“Okay.” If nothing else this would be a funny story. 

“Yes, you’re the best.”

*

**

Shikamaru dragged his feet on the way to the familiar restaurant. He didn’t know what it meant that she would involve Ino in helping them figure out their relationship. But perhaps this was the push that they needed. He thought that once the war was done they’d have that freedom and space to explore their feelings for each other. They hadn’t. They were teetering on the edge of pushing for something more and maintaining the status quo. There were moments when it seemed like they could really build a relationship together but then they went right back. 

Still, he could admit that his heart alighted knowing that she was there, waiting for him, ready for that next step. If she was ready for it then he was too. So with that confidence and hope for a future together he made his way into the restaurant. Ready to meet his fate. 

He smiled seeing tufts of blonde hair peeking from a booth. A kind of peace settled within him. He wanted this, he wanted more and he’d do anything to convince her that they would be good together. 

“Hi Shikamaru, I’m so happy that you came.” His eyes widened at the familiar blonde before settling across from her. He swallowed the lump in his throat before nodding.

“Good evening Shiho.” She smiled brightly back at him before launching into a nervous babble. He just nodded along keeping a polite smile on his face. He was going to kill Ino. In her defense, she hadn’t actually said that it was Temari that was his date. She’d just said a blonde kunoichi. His mind had immediately gone to his Sand princess. Ino had completely played him.

Still, it wasn’t fair to Shiho to be rude so he figured he would just get through the night and hopefully spare the girl’s feelings. 

They enjoyed dinner together and talked about the village and work. Shiho was clearly bright and intelligent but her voice didn’t send the shivers down his spine the way one particular person did. Her eyes were overshadowed by her glasses and didn’t pierce him the same way. A date with her didn’t feel right. 

“Thanks for coming Shikamaru.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” He waved off her appreciation feeling guilty that his mind had been somewhere else the entire night. Rather on someone else. 

“I want to be honest with you. We’re both intelligent and rational people so emotions and feelings are kind of difficult for us. I’ve had a crush on you for a while and Ino said that it was best if I just face it head-on. So she offered to set up this blind date for me. I think that it’s pretty obvious that you don’t have feelings for me.”

“Shiho...I…”

She shrugged, sending him a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, that was always a possibility going into this I kind of knew. I just had to give it a chance. Besides, it’s pretty clear that someone else has your heart.”

He took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right.”

“Temari?” She asked with a smile. 

“You are smart.”

“No, you two are just stubborn.” She teased him. 

“You’re right about that too.”

“So this is what we’re going to do. Let’s finish up here and promise me that you’ll go tell her.”

He smiled with a new appreciation for her. No, there would never be anything romantic between them but she’d be a good friend. “After tonight it’s pretty clear that you’re the smarter one of the two of us.”

*

**

“Shikamaru? It’s late, what are you doing here?” He felt his throat dry at seeing Temari in far too small sleep shorts and a Nara clan t-shirt that she had stolen from him. It was a welcomed view considering that he’d been imagining her all night. 

He made his way inside without an invitation and began to nervously pace.

“I just got back from a blind date that Ino set me up on.” Temari just doubled over in laughter. He barely tolerated the people that he did like, having to make small talk with a stranger must have been torture. 

“Are you serious?”

He shook his head grasping at his hair. “Yes, I didn’t want to be there but somehow I got strong-armed into showing up.”

“Why would you agree to go?”

“Because I thought it was with you.” He admitted thoughtlessly. 

The admission made her heart stop. “What?”

“She told me it was a blonde kunoichi from work. Who the hell else could it have been?”

Temari’s eyes widened with a grin. “Oh my God, it was Shiho.”

He was surprised at the guess. “How did you know?”

“Are you kidding, it’s so obvious how much of a crush that poor girl has on you. You’re clearly not as smart as people think you are.”

Shikamaru rubbed a hand across his tired face. “After tonight that’s pretty clear.”

“Back to the original point. You went because you thought it was with me?” Her heart melted a little at the fact that he only agreed to go because he thought that she’d be there. 

“Yea…”

She stood to step directly up to him. Warm, he felt the heat radiating off her skin. Her familiar scent reminded him of the wind and rain. Striking teal eyes that looked up at him hopefully. He loved being surrounded by her. “What does that mean?”

He sighed feeling a blush crawl up his neck. “You’re going to make me say it?”

Temari just grinned brightly, he’d do anything for that smile. “Yup.”

“Fine. Temari, I’m tired of dancing around this, us, for so long. I want us to be together. Commitment, relationship, all of it. You’re troublesome, really fucking beautiful and strong. I’ve felt this way for a long time now and I think that we deserve to give ourselves a chance.”

Her arms crossed behind his neck pulling him in closer. “I take it back, you’re pretty smart.” She reached up to kiss him and his lips against hers felt right. She had always thought that they just fit together, like puzzle pieces. His arms around her felt like home and she loved how safe she felt with him. Like him, she was tired of them both ignoring what had been building up between them for years. It was now or never and she knew that if they didn’t give this a chance she’d regret it. 

“It’s pretty fucked up that it took you going out on a date with another woman to get to here, but I’m happy. Let’s go out tomorrow.”

He dropped a kiss on the crown of her head holding her tightly. Together, they were _finally_ together. “I’m picking you up. I’m not taking another chance.” She laughed at the response before reaching up to kiss him again. 

*

**

“Beautiful, do you really think that it was a good idea to manipulate Shikamaru this way?”

Sai and Ino had just watched him enter Temari’s place after leaving his date. Sai would follow his Light to the ends of the Earth and tonight that involved spying on one of her oldest friends. 

“Sai! I did no such thing! I set up the date for him and Shiho, I never once told him that it was Temari that would be there.” Her smile was bright and devious but he couldn’t help but love her for that. 

“Well, it seems like they’re finally going to face their feelings for each other.”

Her hands clapped together with a smirk. “Then my work here is done.”

**Author's Note:**

> Fun huh? Haha, thanks for reading my sweet deers! More ShikaTema fanfic tropes! Take care! Love you all!


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